In a few hours, we’ll know whether the Republican race for the Governor’s seat in Texas will continue another six weeks or whether Republican incumbent Governor Rick Perry can turn his attention to his Democratic opponent. The Republican race has been long and bruising but not the clash of the titans that many political observers expected. In one corner, there’s Perry, who’s been Governor for going on close to a decade. And in the opposite corner, there’s three term Senator Kay Bailey Hutchison. Cal Jillson, a professor at Southern Methodist University in Dallas says Hutchison’s campaign expected her popularity as a Senator to translate into success in the GOP primary for Governor. It hasn’t. Perry’s campaign has been able to ride the tide of anti-DC sentiment and paint the Senator as a part of the problem. Hutchison defends her work in Washington as a continued fight to support her state. The latest Rassmussen Reports poll released last week showed Perry with 48% of likely Republican voters (see the poll here: http://tinyurl.com/yhfpxf8 ). Perry needs 50% to avoid a runoff and another six weeks of campaigning.
Also in the ring is Republican Debra Medina, the “x” factor in the campaign. She’s a business woman and former head of the GOP in Wharton County, which is near Houston. Tea Party activists love her and tell us not to rule her out. Medina seemingly came out of nowhere. She was in the single digits in the polls until she took part in a couple televised debates with Perry and Hutchison. Her campaign took off. Then came an appearance on the Glenn Beck radio show where she appeared noncommittal when asked whether the government was involved in 9-11. She’s since clarified her statement to say emphatically she doesn’t think the government was involved. Her numbers since the statement have taken a hit, but she could still split the vote enough to send Perry into a runoff with Hutchison.
Early voting ended Friday and it’s been strong, nearly twice what we saw in the last go ‘round four years ago. The Democrats are also choosing their gubernatorial candidate. The two big ones are former Houston Mayor Bill White and hair-care magnate Farouk Shami. Analysts expect White to come out on top in that one.